Department for Transport

Aviation: Coronavirus

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey plan to publish a recovery plan for the aviation industry.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has announced through the Global Travel Taskforce, a number of measures to assist the sector to restart over the winter period. This includes the ‘Test to release for international travel’ (TTR) scheme to be launched on 15 December, which will boost consumer confidence in air travel. Following the successful implementation of these measures, the Government will then put forward its strategic framework for the medium and long-term recovery of the aviation sector.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Sizewell C Power Station: Carbon Emissions

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of(1) the data collected, and (2) calculations made, by the Nuclear New Build Generation Company of the lifecycle CO2 emissions of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power project.

Lord Callanan: Before entering into commitments to support any nuclear project, the Government’s assessment would include whether the project was expected to contribute to the target of net zero emissions by 2050.

Research: Finance

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to channel funding for university research that was previously provided by EU funding; whether they intend to devolve all or part of this funding stream to the devolved administrations; and what plans they have to maintain the overall levels of funding for university research at the level previously provided by EU funds.

Lord Callanan: Negotiations with the EU to associate to Horizon Europe, are ongoing. We are open to participation if we can agree a fair and balanced deal for the UK. If the UK associates to Horizon Europe, universities will be able to apply for funding from Horizon Europe in line with the terms of any agreement and the final regulations establishing the Horizon Europe Programme. We set out in the R&D Roadmap that if the UK does not formally associate to Horizon Europe, the Government will implement ambitious alternatives as quickly as possible from January 2021 and will address the funding gap. Alternatives to Horizon Europe, if required, will cover discovery, or ‘curiosity-led’ research, global collaborative research, and innovation.

Digital Technology: Competition

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on competition of the market dominance of (1) Amazon, (2) Apple, (3) Facebook, (4) Google, and (5) Microsoft; and what plans they have, if any, to address any such impact.

Lord Callanan: Responsibility for investigating individual and market-wide competition issues, including breaches of competition law, falls to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as the UK’s independent competition authority. In July 2020, the CMA published the final report of its market study into online platforms and digital advertising. In the recent Government response to the market study, we agreed with the CMA’s findings that Google and Facebook are dominant in the search and social media markets and that this is leading to higher prices for goods and services, less innovation, and less choice for consumers. We also announced the Government’s intention to establish and fund a Digital Markets Unit (DMU) within the CMA from April 2021, to operationalise a new pro-competition regime for digital markets. We will consult on the form and function of the DMU in early 2021, and legislate to put it on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan (HL9789) on 12 November, who is responsible for collating and acting on information concerning recipients of loans taken out under(1) the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and (2) the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Lord Callanan: Lenders accredited to deliver the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Bank Loan Scheme are responsible for collecting data concerning recipients of loans. This data is collated by systems managed by the British Business Bank.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 2 December (HL9789), what assessment they have made of the case for publishing the names of those firms borrowing under Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and Bounce Back Loan Scheme to facilitate identification of fraud; and why they are delaying publication of this information until it is made available on the European Commission's Transparency Aid Module.

Lord Callanan: Given the necessary preparation and administration involved in publishing the information, we consider that the best use of public resources would be directed to pulling this information together to meet our existing obligations. We continue to work across Departments, and with lenders and law enforcement agencies, to tackle fraudulent abuse of the schemes.

Nuclear Reactors: Construction

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Nuclear New Build Generation Company and EDF Energy about the possibility of using the site at Wylfa Newydd to construct EPR nuclear reactors (1) instead of, or (2) in addition to, the site at Sizewell C; and what was the outcome of those discussions.

Lord Callanan: We continually engage with new nuclear developers to understand the merits of their proposed projects and we remain willing to discuss new nuclear projects with any viable developers and investors wishing to develop sites in the UK, including at the Wylfa site. Hitachi still own the site at Wylfa, we will have discussions with them about the future of the site in due course.

Hinkley Point C Power Station: Carbon Emissions

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish theLifecycle Assessment of the Carbon Footprint of the proposed Hinkley Point C (HPC) project report, referenced in the Hinkley Point C application for Development Consent, on which Nuclear New Build Generation Company’s estimate of the level of emissions from Hinkley Point C is based.

Lord Callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not hold a copy of the Lifecycle Assessment of the Carbon Footprint of the proposed Hinkley Point C (HPC) project report. While there are references to the Lifecycle Assessment in the Sustainability Statement which accompanied the application for development consent for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station (and which was considered by the Examining Authority), a copy of the Lifecycle Assessment was not submitted with the application.

Department of Health and Social Care

Private Sector: NHS

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many operations were conducted by private healthcare providers on behalf of the NHS in (1) March, (2) April, and (3) May; whether any contracts with such providers to provide such operations included financial penalties relating to the number of operations to be undertaken and any subsequent lack of uptake; if so, (a) what were those penalties, and (b) whether they have had to pay any such penalties; whether they have received any representations about the lack of uptake for those operations by private sector operators; and what was the outcome of any suchrepresentations.

Lord Bethell: This information is not held in the format requested.

Gender Recognition: Children

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the High Court judgment in R (on the application of) Quincy Bell and A -v- Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and others [2020] EWHC 3274, issued on 1 December, what plans they have to (1) prevent, or (2) discourage, GenderGP.com from marketing puberty blocking drugs to anyone under the age of 16; and whether they intend to issue guidance discouraging parents from buying such drugs for children under 16 years old.

Lord Bethell: Strict regulatory controls govern medicinal products for human use including their manufacture, distribution, retail sale and supply and advertisement.Prescription only medicines cannot be advertised directly to the public and any advertisement offering to sell or supply a prescription only medicine directly to a patient is likely to contravene the requirements of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.Any report of non-compliant activity relating to the advertising of a prescription only medicine would be investigated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the appropriate action would be taken.

Brain Cancer: Research

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bethell on 25 November (HL9924), what assessment they have made of the rejection of all brain tumour research applications made so far this financial year by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR); and what assessment they have made of the performance of NIHR.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthe pool of experts used by the National Institute for Health Research contains those who may be classified as brain tumour experts or brain tumour patient advocates.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impactof the rejection of grants for brain tumour research by the National Institute for Health Research on the talent pool of brain tumour experts.

Lord Bethell: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is helping researchers develop high-quality research proposals in this scientifically challenging area. To encourage such proposals, in April 2018 we called on the research community specifically for brain tumour research funding applications. There was an immediate increase in proposals which continue to be assessed by review panels of scientific experts and involving patients and public. We are relying on researchers to submit research proposals in this difficult area of research, with a number of research applications currently under consideration. The NIHR system uses a gold standard of peer review, essential in identifying and funding only those research proposals that are of high quality. An assessment of the success rate of applications to the NIHR on brain tumour research compared to all other areas grouped together reveals little difference.The NIHR is also working with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission towards funding a workshop for researchers to support them in submitting higher quality research. Additionally, through the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, the NIHR is working closely with NHS England, NHS Improvement and the National Cancer Research Institute to consider ways of increasing the number of high-quality research applications.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the proportion of people who have had a (1) positive,(2) negative, and (3) inconclusive, COVID-19 NHS test result after requesting a test because of (a) a cough,(b) a temperature,(c) a loss of taste, and (d)multiple symptoms.

Lord Bethell: We do not publish data in the format requested.

Coronavirus

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the proportion of people who have had COVID-19who have presented with(1) a cough, (2) a temperature, (3) a loss of taste, (4) any such symptoms, and (5) no symptoms.

Lord Bethell: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates the percentages of people testing positive for COVID-19 who present with a range of symptoms in the community, which means that they necessarily exclude data from those testing positive in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings. It should be noted that the symptoms were self-reported, and not professionally diagnosed.Around 5% of school-aged children presented with cough symptoms, whereas for those under 35 years old and those aged over 35 years old, the percentage for those presented with cough symptoms rose to between 10% and 15%.In school-aged children, 15% of those who tested positive presented with fever symptoms and in adults, 15% and 20% did. The positivity rate in all age groups for those presenting with a loss of taste or smell is between 35% and 45%, however, there are wide confidence intervals within the date for school aged children. For all age groups, the rates of those reporting other symptoms is around 5%.The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergency’s (SAGE) subgroup, Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational (SPI-M-O), do not have one consensus estimate for asymptomatic case proportions. The ONS’ COVID-19 Infection Study has estimated that approximately 55% of those individuals who test positive do not record evidence of symptoms at or around the time of the test. This does not mean these individuals will not go on to develop symptoms or had symptoms previously.Other SAGE evidence has shown that there is wide variation in the estimated proportion of infections that are truly asymptomatic across different studies with the rapid review providing a pooled estimate, based on 22 studies, of 28% but with very wide confidence intervals.

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness McGregor-Smith: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they adjust their estimates of the number of COVID-19 infections to reflect the number of false positive test results.

Lord Bethell: The information is not held in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they haveheld discussions with private sector providers about the delivery of plans for same day mass testing for COVID-19 in England; and, if so, who these providers are.

Lord Bethell: The Government is committed to rapid and accessible testing. We are working with private sector and are increasing our testing capacity, both through current swab testing and new, rapid lateral flow tests to cut the spread of COVID-19 nationwide. Where contracts with commercial partners have been finalised the Department publishes contract award notices online at GOV.UK Contract Finder service.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff from (1) Deloitte, (2) the Boston Consulting Group, and (3) McKinsey, are currently employed within their COVID-19 testing system; and what experience in laboratory-based testing is required in order to be eligible for those roles.

Lord Bethell: The information requested is as follows:Deloitte - 1,127Boston Consulting Group - 27McKinsey - 24Consultants are not working in roles which require medical expertise such as laboratories or hospitals.

Coronavirus: Scotland

Lord MacKenzie of Culkein: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the COVID-19 home test kit system is not available to postcodes in (1) Sutherland, (2) Caithness, (3) Ross and Skye, (4) Lochaber, (5) Badenoch, (6) Argyll and Bute, (7) the Western Isles, (8) Orkney, and (9) Shetland; and what steps they are taking to resolve this availability.

Lord Bethell: Due to their remote geographical area, home testing kits are not available in some areas. The home test service relies on Royal Mail's 24 hour guarantee priority post-boxes to ensure tests are returned to the laboratory in a suitable timeframe. Some remote areas in the Scottish Isles have had access to a dedicated testing service set up specifically that enables people to access tests through hospitals without being admitted as a patient. This has been rolled out to the areas of most acute need across the Islands first and is being expanded to provide testing across the Highlands. Residents can also access testing via the nearest regional test site, walk in test site or mobile testing unit.

Gambling: Rehabilitation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to invest in gambling treatment and support services.

Lord Bethell: The Government remains committed to tackling gambling related harm. The NHS Long Term Plan announced the creation of up to 15 specialist problem gambling clinics 2023/24.Work continues on phased expansion of these services, enabling the National Health Service to explore how best to use existing treatment models to reach those in most need of support. The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 has committed to spending up to £6 million a year on gambling-related harms by 2023/24.

NHS: Negligence

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to the NHS in (1) legal fees, and (2) negligence costs, in each of the last two years for which figures are available.

Lord Bethell: The following table shows total payments for the financial years 2018/19 and 2019/20 for all of NHS Resolution’s clinical and non-clinical negligence schemes. 2019/202018/19Clinical spend£ million£ millionDamages paid to claimants1,683.21,778.0Claimant legal costs497.5442.3NHS legal costs143.5139.6Total2,324.32,359.9Non-clinical spend£ million£ millionDamages paid to claimants30.037.4Claimant legal costs18.117.8NHS legal costs7.46.6Total Non-Clinical55.561.8Total of all spend2,379.72,421.7

NHS: Negligence

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce conditional fee arrangements for defence lawyers in clinical negligence cases; and what assessment they have made of the impact such action would have in terms of (1) cost savings, and (2) parity between parties.

Lord Bethell: NHS Resolution has no plans to introduce conditional fee arrangements for defence lawyers in clinical negligence cases.NHS Resolution negotiates large-scale contracts for defendant legal services, using its position as a bulk purchaser to obtain the best expertise, including support for NHS Resolution’s work to learn from claims to improve safety, at value for money for the National Health Service. The contracts include fixed and capped fee arrangements and competitive hourly rates. NHS Resolution monitors and measures its lawyers’ performance through Key Performance Indicators and management information.

NHS: Negligence

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce (1) fixed, and (2) capped, costs for defendant lawyers in clinical negligence cases up to £25,000 to deter any so-called 'delay, deny, defend' conduct.

Lord Bethell: NHS Resolution negotiates large-scale contracts for defendant legal services, using its position as a bulk purchaser to obtain the best expertise, including support for NHS Resolution’s work to learn from claims to improve safety, at value for money for the National Health Service. The contracts include fixed and capped fee arrangements and competitive hourly rates.In response to increases in claimant legal costs and their tendency in low-value claims to be disproportionally high relative to damages awarded, we will consult shortly on a new claims-handling process and fixed costs for clinical negligence claims of up to £25,000 drawing on the Civil Justice Council’s recommendations published in October 2019.

Pregnancy: Coronavirus

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research they have undertaken on the impact of the COVID-19 (1) virus, and (2) vaccines, on the development of embryos in the (a) first, (b) second, and (c) third, trimesters of pregnancy.

Lord Bethell: The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has funded various studies into the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy, through the urgent public health COVID-19 call and the Maternal and Neonatal Health & Care Policy Research Unit. UK Research and Innovation and the NIHR jointly launched the Rapid Response Rolling Call to fund research that aimed to understand, prevent, or manage COVID-19. Two studies were funded that aim to understand the impact of the COVID-19 virus on pregnancy. The NIHR is not currently funding research into the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on the development of embryos but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health.

Gender Recognition: Children

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to take action against companies who are advertising puberty blocking drugs online.

Lord Bethell: Strict regulatory controls govern medicinal products for human use including their manufacture, distribution, retail sale and supply and advertisement.Prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised direct to the public and an advertisement offering to sell or supply a prescription-only medicines directly to a patient would be likely to contravene the requirements of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.Any report of non-compliant activity relating the advertising of a POM would be investigated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and necessary action would be taken.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide funeral workers with access to Test and Trace risk assessments by Tier One contract tracers.

Lord Bethell: Public Health England’s Health Protection Teams (HPTs) undertake tier 1 contact tracing and have a key role in investigating workplace outbreaks; this includes in the funeral services industry.In line with other essential services, COVID-19 cases working in the funeral sector are not automatically escalated to HPTs. If contact tracing results in staffing levels, due to high numbers of staff being asked to self-isolate, that jeopardise the continued functioning of their essential service then the employers are advised to discuss with the local HPT who can review the risk assessment in this light

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the COVID-19 planned for use vaccines prevent those vaccinated from transmitting the disease.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government towhat extent a person who receives only one dose of (1) an adenovirus vector, or (2) an mRNA, COVID-19 vaccination is (a) vulnerable to COVID-19 themselves, and (b) able to transmit the disease on to a second person.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent a person who completes a two-dose course of (1) an adenovirus vector, and (2) an mRNA, COVID-19 vaccination remains (a) vulnerable to COVID-19 themselves, and (b) able to transmit the disease on to a second person.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long a person who has received the two-doses of the COVID-19 vaccine required under the vaccination protocols is able to transmit COVID-19 on to a second person

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the incidence of vaccinated people being able to pass on COVID-19 to those who have not been vaccinated in the trial COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long a person who has received the two-doses of the COVID-19 vaccine required under the vaccination protocols can remain asymptomatic.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether a person who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 can acquire COVID-19 asymptomatic status without indicators and transmit the virus on to another person who has not been vaccinated.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether (1) an adenovirus vector, and (2) an mRNA, COVID-19 vaccine (a) does not prevent a vaccinated person from contracting COVID-19 but suppresses the symptoms of the disease, or (2) prevents a vaccinated person from contracting COVID-19.

Lord Bethell: To date the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), as well as independent expert advisors on the Commission on Human Medicines and its Expert Working Groups, have completed the assessment of the quality, safety and efficacy data only for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This vaccine is an mRNA vaccine and data supported a two dose regimen. Efficacy was evaluated in terms of prevention of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in terms of vulnerability to COVID-19 of the person vaccinated. Clinical trial data showed that, compared to the placebo, efficacy of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from first COVID-19 occurrence from seven days after dose two in participants with or without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 was 94.6% - a 95% credible interval of 89.9% to 97.3%).There is currently no data available regarding transmission of COVID-19 to others in a person who has been vaccinated using any of the COVID-19 vaccines. There is also currently no data available for any COVID-19 vaccine on the period after vaccination for which a person can remain asymptomatic.

Lithium Carbonate

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to ensure that Priadel lithium tablets continue to be supplied to patients in the UK.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that patients having to switch to other lithium products because of a discontinuation of Priadel lithium tablets do not suffer harm or adverse events as a result of such a switch.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have provided (1) to GPs, and (2) to mental health trusts, on advising patients that have to switch to other lithium products because of a discontinuation of Priadel lithium tablets.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a helplinefor patients seeking advice aboutswitching to other lithium products because of a discontinuation of Priadel lithium tablets.

Lord Bethell: Ensuring patients have access to the medicines they need is vital. The Department brought this matter to the attention of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) who opened an investigation.Essential Pharma has now agreed to continue supplying Priadel to the National Health Service and we have agreed revised prices with the company. This means patients can continue to access this important treatment as normal without the need for widespread systematic switching. The CMA has received a proposed commitment from Essential Pharma that it will continue to supply Priadel for a minimum of five years, thereby securing the long-term availability of this crucial medicine.We continue to communicate the most up to date information with the NHS, including general practices and mental health trusts and further updates are expected to be issued shortly. As supplies of Priadel remained available no central helpline was considered.

Department for Education

Students: Counselling and Health

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional emergency funding for student counselling and wellbeing services.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Protecting student and staff wellbeing is vital – these are difficult times and it is important that students can still access the mental health and wellbeing support they need. We recognise that many students may be facing additional mental health challenges because of the disruption and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.It is for higher education providers as autonomous bodies to identify and address the needs of their student body and decide what support to put in place. Throughout the pandemic, my hon Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, has asked that providers continue to support their students. This has included making services accessible from a distance, and we encourage students to stay in touch with their provider’s student support and welfare teams as these services are likely to continue to be an important source of assistance. Many providers have bolstered their existing mental health services and adapted delivery mechanisms, including contacting students who may be more vulnerable. Staff at universities and colleges responded quickly to the need to transform mental health and wellbeing services, showing great resourcefulness and good practice.My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, wrote to Vice-Chancellors in October outlining that student welfare should remain a priority and has convened a working group of representatives from the higher education and health sectors specifically to address the current and pressing issues that students are facing during the pandemic.The government has worked closely with the Office for Students (OfS) to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged students affected by COVID-19. Providers are able to use the funding – worth around £256 million for the 2020/21 academic year – towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment and mental health support.My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, announced in December that we will also be making available up to £20 million of hardship funding on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students.We have also worked with the OfS to provide Student Space, which has been funded by up to £3 million by the OfS. Student Space is a mental health and wellbeing platform which aims to bridge any gaps in support for students arising from this unprecedented situation and is designed to work alongside existing services. Ensuring students have access to quality mental health support is a top priority, which is why we asked the OfS to look at extending the platform. We are delighted they have been able to extend the platform to support students for the whole 2020/21 academic year.In addition, over £9 million has been provided by the government to leading mental health charities to help them expand and reach those most in need. Students struggling with their mental health can also access support via online resources from the NHS and Public Health England via the ‘Better Health – Every Mind Matters’ website, and mental health charities such as Mind.

Students: Plagiarism

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of (1) essay mills, and (2) contract cheating, by students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), and academics around the globe, agree that it is impossible to quantify exactly how widespread the use of essay mills is, as the bespoke nature of these “paid for” assignments can make it difficult for providers to detect that it is not the student’s own work. Students who engage in contract cheating are also less likely to volunteer to participate in surveys about cheating. This is a difficult time for students, and those who are feeling particularly worried about their studies could be more vulnerable to essay mills marketing right now. We are also aware of increasing anecdotal accounts of some students being blackmailed by essay mill services. It is abhorrent for these companies to take advantage of students in this situation and profit from anxiety during a global outbreak.It is, therefore, vitally important that higher education providers, the Office for Students (OfS), and the QAA take robust action to deter, detect and address contract cheating. The OfS has published information and guidance for providers and students, and the QAA has also published a series of guides to support providers to secure academic standards and support student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes QAA guidance for providers on how to assess digital delivery with integrity.We have set a clear expectation that the OfS should take a visible lead in challenging the sector to eliminate the use of essay mills. Ministers have called on universities, sector bodies, ed-tech companies, and online platforms to do everything in their power to help stamp out academic cheating of any kind from our world-class higher education sector. We are also exploring, with the QAA, emerging evidence on the effectiveness of legislation on essay mills elsewhere.

German Academic Exchange Service

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the support for the teaching and learning of German in British universities of the German Academic Exchange Service programmes for (1) the German lektor scheme and (2) the German Language Assistant scheme.

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make an exemption for (1) German lektors and (2) German language assistants participating in the German Academic Exchange Service programmes, from the standard skilled worker visa regulations in respect of the salary threshold.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: English universities are independent, autonomous institutions and are therefore free to choose which courses they run. Quality is assessed by the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education providers in England. Whilst the government firmly supports the teaching of German and other modern foreign languages in English universities, the government plays no role in the delivery of these specific schemes.In terms of immigration arrangements, the government has been clear that all EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens must be resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 to be eligible for settled or pre-settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme. All EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021 will be required to apply for a visa under the new points-based immigration system. People wanting to come into the UK to work from 1 January 2021 will be awarded points for a job offer at the appropriate skill level if they speak English, and if they meet the appropriate salary threshold.The points-based immigration system is a global system which treats EU and non-EU citizens equally, prioritising individuals’ skills and talent over where a person happens to come from. The UK’s Points Based Immigration System has been designed with huge consideration given to businesses and employers, including the UK higher education sector, which has been consulted by the government throughout.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Turkey and Mexico

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to communicate with interested UK parties in the event of trade deals not being reached with (1) Turkey, and (2) Mexico, by 31 December 2020.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: As of 15th December, we have reached agreements with 58 countries, covering trade worth £198 billion, which includes the agreement with Mexico, which was signed on the 15th December. The Department for International Trade (DIT) has published clear, accurate, and up-to-date information and guidance for business on GOV.UK and we will continue to provide guidance to business, including the latest information on agreements with partners such as Turkey, and will further supplement the detailed guidance already available online, as we approach the end of the transition period. The Department is in regular contact with business and has also created free-to-use online tools (Trade with the UK and Check How to Export Goods) so that businesses can check product-specific and country-specific information on tariffs and regulations that currently apply to trade in goods. These tools are regularly updated to reflect any changes.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Leisure: Coronavirus

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement on 22 October of a £100 million package of support for public leisure services, whether this fund can be used to support leisure centres which are operated by parish and town councils.

Lord Greenhalgh: We fully recognise that the facilities that will be supported by this package of Covid-19 support funding will play a vital role in maintaining the health and wellbeing of the nation, and the contribution they play in building community cohesion and participation in sport. This is in addition to the existing Sales, Fees and Charges scheme established by the Government which supports leisure centres run directly by local councils and which will be extended into the first three months of 2021-22.   My colleagues in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are engaging with the sector to fully understand the challenges faced and are designing their £100 million leisure services scheme accordingly.

Housing: Construction

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 3 December (HL10515), what assessment they have made of the extent of the transfer of funding through the New Homes Bonus scheme from (1) poorer local authorities to richer ones, (2) local authorities in the north of England to those in the south of England, and (3) areas where current housing conditions are worse than those where new housing is financially more profitable.

Lord Greenhalgh: The New Homes Bonus is a housing incentive designed to encourage and reward local authorities and communities for welcoming housing growth in their area. Funding for the Bonus is provided from a top slice of Revenue Support Grant and as such it is included in Core Spending Power (CSP), which is a measure of the overall resources available to local authorities to fund mainstream services. The distributional impacts of CSP are assessed as part of the proposals for the annual local government finance settlement, which are presented to Parliament each year. We will be consulting local government on the future of the New Homes Bonus shortly.

Affordable Housing: Construction

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to maintain the use of section 106 agreements to deliver affordable housing.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local authority finances of the proposed delay in the collection of the Community Infrastructure Levy until a building is in occupation.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government’s White Paper, Planning for the Future proposes that a new ‘Infrastructure Levy’ will replace section 106 planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy and be set in a way which delivers at least as much - if not more - onsite affordable housing than at present. It also proposes that the Levy will be payable on the completion of development. To better support the timely delivery of infrastructure, local authorities would be allowed to borrow against Infrastructure Levy revenues so that they could forward fund infrastructure.The consultation on ‘Planning for the Future’ closed on 29 October. We are analysing the consultation feedback thoroughly and holding meetings with industry and local authority representatives to understand the impacts of our proposals. We will respond formally in due course.

Planning

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local authority resources of the proposals included in their White PaperPlanning for the future, published on 6 August.

Lord Greenhalgh: The White Paper commits to developing a comprehensive resources and skills strategy for the planning sector to support the implementation of our reforms – so that, as we implement our reforms, local planning authorities are equipped to create great communities through effective civic engagement and proactive plan-making.We want to reduce the amount of resource-consuming bureaucracy and streamline or abolish assessments and other requirements that are burdensome and slow-down planning departments. Part of achieving this will be through modernising the planning process, so that routine tasks are automated and decision-making is improved by better access to data and digital services. This will allow local authorities to focus attention on plan making and place shaping. We are also exploring options to introduce a new planning fee structure to ensure that local planning authorities are properly resourced to improve the speed and quality of their decisions.We will continue to work with local planning authorities, as well as professional bodies and the wider planning sector, as we develop our proposals.

Construction: Warranties

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the effectiveness of warranties on construction projects.

Lord Greenhalgh: Government is clear that warranties on construction projects need to be fit for purpose and provide proper protection for consumers. It is the responsibility of the Financial Conduct Authority to regulate new build warranties and protect consumers. If a consumer is unhappy with the warranty provider’s action, they can contact the Financial Ombudsman Services for free.

Community Infrastructure Levy

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 3 December (HL10511), whether they will now answer the question put, namely which local planning authorities in England have set the Community Infrastructure Levy at zero.

Lord Greenhalgh: Authorities only adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) if, having undertaken the necessary viability analysis, the rates that can be applied justify doing so. Therefore none of the 163 levy charging authorities in England have set a zero levy rate for all levy liable development in their area.Charging authorities set out their levy rates, including any zero rates, in a charging schedule which is required to be published on their website. Authorities can set different rates for different zones within their authority, by reference to different intended uses of development, by reference to the intended gross internal area of development, and by reference to the intended number of dwellings or units. Categories are not consistently applied across all authorities, but are developed to reflect local circumstances.CIL charging authorities are able to exempt categories of development either by explicitly setting zero rates within a charging schedule, or by setting rates which refer to other types of development only (for instance, if a charging schedule were to include rates only for residential development, then retail and office development would be exempt).Because categories of development to which CIL is applied vary between authorities, and can vary within them, it is not possible to accurately summarise how rates apply across all CIL charging authorities. However, all of the 163 CIL charging authorities have set a levy charge for residential development in at least part of their area.

Vagrancy Act 1824

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the campaign by Crisis to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

Lord Greenhalgh: This is a complex issue and we know from our engagement with stakeholders that there are diverging views about the necessity and relevance of the Vagrancy Act. That is why the Government believes that a review is the right course of action and we are looking at all options including retention, repeal, replacement or amendment.At the heart of the review will be the experiences and perceptions of a range of relevant stakeholders including the homelessness sector, the police, local authorities, business representatives, community groups and individuals with lived experience. This Government is aware of Crisis’ views on the Vagrancy Act and have engaged with them to inform the review of the Act . Work is ongoing and the Government will update on its findings in due course.

Parish Councils: Coronavirus

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they have provided specifically to parish and town councils during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Greenhalgh: The way in which Parish and Town councils have responded to the challenges of the pandemic is testament to the unique position they occupy within our local government family.Total support committed to councils, businesses and communities since the start of the pandemic is over £30 billion, including over £10 billion for local authorities, £6 billion of which is un-ringfenced recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major Covid-19 service pressures in their local area, in conversation with local partners.Whilst the Government does not have the necessary powers to pay Parish and Town councils directly, we have written to principal authorities encouraging them to discuss the funding support for parish councils from within the support we have provided them.Therefore, Parish and Town councils should liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.

Local Government: Elections

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage people to stand for election to parish and town councils in May 2021; and what financial support they are providing (1) to the Local Government Association, and (2) to the National Association of Local Councils, to support initiatives to encourage people to stand for election at the local elections in May 2021.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government continues to provide funding to the Local Government Association to support sector improvements in a wide range of areas including improving local leadership and resilience. As the Government does not have powers to offer direct financial support to parish and town councils, they are not eligible for this support. However, the Government continues to encourage local government at all levels to work to encourage greater participation in our democracy.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Environmental Land Management Scheme

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 3 December (HL10512), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what proposals they have (1) to encourage, or (2) to ensure that the environmental and other enhancements that will be included in Environmental Land Management Schemes will also take place on farmland where the owners and land managers have decided not to take part in such Schemes.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Environmental Land Management scheme is being designed to be attractive to a wide range of farmers and land managers to deliver the environmental objectives of the scheme. To achieve this, we are working closely with a range of environmental and agricultural stakeholders to design the scheme collaboratively. The scheme will operate alongside other policies and schemes to meet the Government’s objectives.We want to attract high uptake and achieve environmental outcomes at scale and so are developing an attractive, simple, trusted and relevant offer across the full range of schemes. Our Agricultural Transition Plan, published on 30 November, sets out details on the schemes which we are running to do this, with the three components of Environmental Land Management at the heart of this. However, we will also offer environmental schemes which cover farming in protected landscapes, and tree health, as well as grants which will help farmers to improve their efficiency and productivity while also benefiting the environment.Whether or not farmers and land managers decide not to participate in a scheme, they will still be subject to the minimum basic requirements set out in domestic legislation to safeguard the environment, plant health and animal health and welfare. This underpins the move to payments for public goods. We will work with the sector to co-design and establish a new regulatory model for the long term. However, we will ensure that we always have a robust system of inspection and enforcement in place to maintain regulatory protections throughout the agricultural transition.

Home Office

Asylum: Reform

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Home Secretary at the Conservative Party Conference on 4 October, whatassessment they have made of the actions of "do-gooders" and "leftie lawyers"; and what steps they intend to take in response.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The comments were made in the context of a trend whereby individuals submit last-minute appeals on the basis of human rights claims that we would have expected to have been made far earlier in proceedings and which often transpire to be unmeritorious.Concerns have been relayed about the behaviour of certain NGOs in France in how they are supporting migrants. We take any information of organised criminality seriously and will investigate appropriately.

Deportation: Jamaica

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypeople were deported to Jamaica from the UK on 2 December; how many people who were due to be deported on that same flight were not; and why any such people were not deported.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The charter flight to Jamaica departed the UK on 2 December 2020 carrying 13 foreign national offenders (FNOs) convicted of serious offences including murder, attempted rape, aggravated burglary and supplying Class A drugs. They were sentenced to a combined total of over 100 years, which included one life sentence.There were 23 FNOs who were sentenced to a combined total of 156 years plus one life sentence who were not deported on the charter, including a murderer and rapists.We are unable to comment on individual cases and therefore cannot provide the detailed reasons why those removed from the flight were not deported; however, the majority were due to last minute legal challenges. We are progressing these cases as a priority.This Government takes seriously its obligation under the UK Borders Act 2007 to deport any FNO who has served a custodial sentence of at least 12 months; and we will continue to seek to remove dangerous criminals and protect our communities.

British Nationality: Hong Kong

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been received for hereditary British citizenship from Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Status holders.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Published data on applications for British citizenship can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/managed-migration-datasetsThe published data relates to people from Hong Kong, which will include British National (Overseas) status holders. We do not publish data on applications for British Citizenship from British National (Overseas) status holders.Citizenship data sets - Sept 2020  (xlsx, 6209.4KB)

Immigrants: Domestic Abuse

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that sharing the immigration status of a migrant victim of domestic abuse with the Home Office may have on (1) a victim’s ability to report any such abuse; and (2) the effectiveness of the Support for Migrant Victims scheme.

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Safeguarding) on 4 September (HC77656), to what extent they consulted non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the design and delivery of the Support for Migrant Victims scheme; which NGOs they engaged with; and whether they intend to engage with NGOs during the evaluation of the pilot.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We very much welcome, and are now reviewing, feedback from the sector on the draft prospectus for the Support for Migrant Victims scheme, including the duration of the pilot. We will consider all options, including future sustainability, should demand for the scheme outstrip the budget already allocated.As well as providing support to migrant victims of domestic abuse, one of the key objectives of the scheme is to gather more information on the scale of the problem, and on which types of migrants it most significantly affects. Therefore, while we recognise that information being shared with the Home Office may deter some victims from seeking support, it will not be possible to measure the effectiveness of the scheme, or develop long term policy solutions, if there is no such exchange of information.We are, however, reconsidering the proposals to provide as much reassurance as possible that information will be shared securely and will not routinely be shared with other parts of the Home Office. In developing the scheme we engaged with 24 specialist organisations and groups.These were: Amnesty International, The Angelou Centre, Asiana Women’s Project, BAWSO Wales, End Violence Against Women Campaign, The Equality and Human Rights Commission, Imkaan, Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women’s Organisation, Latin American Women’s Rights Service, Liberty, London Black Women’s Project, Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation, Migrants’ Rights Network, Project 17, Refuge, Refugee Women, Rights of Women, Safety 4 Sisters Manchester, Sisters for Change, Southall Black Sisters, Step Up Migrant Women Coalition, Welsh Women’s Aid, Women for Refugee Women and Women’s Aid. The second phase of the review consisted of a series of focus groups and meetings with organisations that specialise in providing support to migrant victims of domestic abuse with no recourse to public funds.Since then, we have held an engagement webinar with the sector on 22 October and are reviewing the feedback from sector organisations. At the webinar we consulted with Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation, Latin American Women’s Rights Organisation, End Violence Against Women, Southall Black Sisters, Imkaan, Karma Nirvana, Hestia, Women’s Aid Scotland, The Angelou Centre, Women’s Aid, Catch 22, We Care Housing and Support, Victim Support and SafeLives. We are currently giving thought to the evaluation process, and will look to share findings with the wider sector soon.

Immigrants: Domestic Abuse

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend (1) to extend the duration, and (2) to increase the budget, of the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme pilot, in the event that demand outstrips the existing level of support provided.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We very much welcome, and are now reviewing, feedback from the sector on the draft prospectus for the Support for Migrant Victims scheme, including the duration of the pilot. We will consider all options, including future sustainability, should demand for the scheme outstrip the budget already allocated.As well as providing support to migrant victims of domestic abuse, one of the key objectives of the scheme is to gather more information on the scale of the problem, and on which types of migrants it most significantly affects. Therefore, while we recognise that information being shared with the Home Office may deter some victims from seeking support, it will not be possible to measure the effectiveness of the scheme, or develop long term policy solutions, if there is no such exchange of information.We are, however, reconsidering the proposals to provide as much reassurance as possible that information will be shared securely and will not routinely be shared with other parts of the Home Office. In developing the scheme we engaged with 24 specialist organisations and groups.These were: Amnesty International, The Angelou Centre, Asiana Women’s Project, BAWSO Wales, End Violence Against Women Campaign, The Equality and Human Rights Commission, Imkaan, Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women’s Organisation, Latin American Women’s Rights Service, Liberty, London Black Women’s Project, Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation, Migrants’ Rights Network, Project 17, Refuge, Refugee Women, Rights of Women, Safety 4 Sisters Manchester, Sisters for Change, Southall Black Sisters, Step Up Migrant Women Coalition, Welsh Women’s Aid, Women for Refugee Women and Women’s Aid. The second phase of the review consisted of a series of focus groups and meetings with organisations that specialise in providing support to migrant victims of domestic abuse with no recourse to public funds.Since then, we have held an engagement webinar with the sector on 22 October and are reviewing the feedback from sector organisations. At the webinar we consulted with Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation, Latin American Women’s Rights Organisation, End Violence Against Women, Southall Black Sisters, Imkaan, Karma Nirvana, Hestia, Women’s Aid Scotland, The Angelou Centre, Women’s Aid, Catch 22, We Care Housing and Support, Victim Support and SafeLives. We are currently giving thought to the evaluation process, and will look to share findings with the wider sector soon.

Immigration

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission Public Sector Equality Duty assessment of hostile environment policies, published on 25 November; and what steps they are taking in response to the finding that they did not comply with section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010 “in understanding the impact on the Windrush generation and their descendants when developing, implementing and monitoring the hostile environment policy agenda”.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report highlights a number of important areas for improvement by the Home Office.I am committed to working closely with the EHRC to develop an action plan, intended to address the issues raised in their report, by the end of January 2021. This action plan will build on the work we are already doing in response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to ensure our policymaking is more inclusive and robust, and that the Public Sector Equality Duty is front and centre of all our work.

Deportation: Jamaica

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations in Jamaica co-operated with UK authorities to provide support to those deported to Jamaica from the UK on 2 December.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Extensive cooperation was provided to HMG’s returns charter flight by the Jamaican government and its agencies. Representatives from the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Passport and Immigration Agency and the Jamaican Constabulary Force facilitated arrangements for receiving travellers, conducting COVID19 tests and transfers to pre-arranged hotel accommodation to quarantine, pending test results.Following quarantine people will be placed into the care of friends or family, with additional support offered by charities Open Arms and the National Organisation for Deported Migrants (NODM). These charities offer on-arrival assistance, including transport to new places of residence, guidance on reintegration to Jamaican society and access to the Open Arms Development Centre, which can provide accommodation and vocational training.

Stop and Search: Ethnic Groups

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute for Global City Policing Stop and Search in London: July to September 2020, published in November, and in particular its finding that in London black men between 18 and 24 years old are on average 19 times more likely than the general population to be stopped and searched by the police; what assessment they have made of the efficacy of stop and search (1) target areas, and (2) policy; and what plans they have to review the use of stop and search.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office welcomes any analysis of the effectiveness of police tactics.The police tell us that stop and search is a vital tool which helps them tackle serious violence and protect communities. We remain clear that no one should be stopped based on protected characteristics, including race and age. Safeguards exist to ensure this, including Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which sets out the statutory requirements for conducting a search, the use of body worn video to increase accountability, and HMICFRS inspections where force level disparities are examined. The Home Office also publishes extensive data on police powers, including the use of stop and search, which allows Police and Crime Commissioners and others to hold forces to account. The latest publication is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2020.The causes of disparities in stop and search are complex. This Government has committed to tackling racial disparities and broader structural inequalities as part of the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.All operational decisions on how stop and search is carried out in London are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police.Police Powers and Procedures Eng Wales 2020 (pdf, 2461.4KB)

Stop and Search: Greater London

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute for Global City Policing Stop and Search in London: July to September 2020, published in November; and what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police about the impact of its stop and search policies.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office welcomes any analysis of the effectiveness of police tactics.The police tell us that stop and search is a vital tool which helps them tackle serious violence and protect communities. We remain clear that no one should be stopped based on protected characteristics, including race and age. Safeguards exist to ensure this, including Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which sets out the statutory requirements for conducting a search, the use of body worn video to increase accountability, and HMICFRS inspections where force level disparities are examined. The Home Office also publishes extensive data on police powers, including the use of stop and search, which allows Police and Crime Commissioners and others to hold forces to account. The latest publication is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2020.The causes of disparities in stop and search are complex. This Government has committed to tackling racial disparities and broader structural inequalities as part of the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.All operational decisions on how stop and search is carried out in London are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and City of London PolicePolice Powers and Procedures-Eng Wales March 2020 (pdf, 2461.4KB)

Employment: Racial Discrimination

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is being given to employers to avoid racial discrimination when verifying employees' eligibility to work; and what redress is available to people who may have been racially discriminated against in this manner.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has published statutory codes of practice on GOV.UK for employers on how to avoid unlawful discrimination when undertaking checks. This guidance clearly stipulate that employers should provide individuals with every opportunity to demonstrate their right to work and should not discriminate on the basis of race, or any of the other protected characteristics.We are clear that those who discriminate are breaking the law. Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against, either directly or indirectly, may bring a complaint before the courts or before an employment tribunal. The Equality Advisory Support Service is there to support people who may have experienced discrimination in England, Scotland or Wales, and an equivalent is provided by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.Avoiding discrimination while preventing illegal working: code of practice, can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checks-code-of-practice-on-avoiding-discrimination.Right to work checks - code of practice  (pdf, 62.4KB)

Undercover Policing Inquiry

Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Undercover Policing Inquiry to make its final report; what has been the cost of that inquiry to date; and what the final cost of that inquiry is expected to be.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Undercover Policing Inquiry was established in 2015, to investigate undercover deployments conducted by police forces in England and Wales since 1968 and was expected to report within three years.In May 2018, the Undercover Policing Inquiry published a Strategic Review which anticipated that the Inquiry would begin evidence hearings in June 2019 and that it would report to the Home Secretary before the end of 2023. In January 2019 the Inquiry published an update which explained that several issues, such as the significant complexity of documents and the difficulties presented by issues such as privacy and data protection, had led to a fresh look at the timelines. Evidence hearings subsequently began in November 2020 and will continue in 2021.The Terms of Reference state the Inquiry will report to the Home Secretary as soon as practicable. It is important that the Inquiry gets to the truth and makes meaningful recommendations for the future. The Inquiry remains independent of the Home Office, which is crucial to its effectiveness and so, decisions and conduct in relation to the investigations are for the Inquiry to make.The Inquiry cost, to the end of September 2020, is £32,286,400; this information is published by the Inquiry every quarter on its website. The Government is committed to giving the Inquiry the resources it needs to fulfil its important function of getting to the truth, exposing what has gone wrong in the past, and learning lessons for the future.It is difficult to provide an expected final cost of the Inquiry at this stage, but this will be published in full, at the close of the Inquiry.

Scotland Office

Self-determination of States: Shetland

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what communications they have received from the Shetland Islands Council about exploring options for achieving financial and political self-determination; and what has been the reply.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Shetland Islands Council have communicated their views for achieving financial and political self-determination to the UK Government. The UK Government’s position remains consistent; we are keen to see power sit at the most appropriate level of Government, including local government and there is much that the Scottish Government could learn from United Kingdom Government practice in that respect. The UK Government engages closely with local government and the devolved administrations, as well as wider public and private sector organisations. We will always work constructively with all layers of government to ensure the best outcomes for people, businesses and jobs.

Northern Ireland Office

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether anyone representing (1) the Northern Ireland Office, or (2) the Ministry of Defence, attended the meeting at Lambeth Palace on 2 November to discuss the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland; and if so, who authorised any such attendance.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is committed to working with civic society, including victims groups, the NI parties and the Irish Government to seek a way forward for everyone. The Archbishop of Canterbury hosted a seminar at Lambeth Palace in November to discuss a presentation from a team of academics at Queen's University on the legacy of the Troubles. Officials from the Northern Ireland Office attended in a listening capacity. The Northern Ireland Office is often invited to discussions on this important issue. Events hosted by the Archbishop are a matter for Lambeth Palace, and not the Government.

Northern Ireland Office: Recruitment

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they recruit civil servants to work in the Northern Ireland Office based on Irish nationality.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Northern Ireland Office follows the Civil Service Recruitment Principles when filling posts and makes any appointments to the Civil Service on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition and in line with the Civil Service nationality rules. Other than the rules quoted above, nationality is not a factor in any recruitment decisions to appoint to the Northern Ireland Office.

Treasury

Cash Dispensing

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to protect consumers’ access to cash; and if so, when.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government published a Call for Evidence on 15 October to inform its approach for legislating to protect access to cash. The document sought views on the key considerations associated with cash access, including deposit and withdrawal facilities, cash acceptance, and regulatory oversight of the cash system. The Call for Evidence closed on 25 November; the Government is considering responses and will set out its next steps in due course.

Duty Free Allowances

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the economic impact of the loss of duty-free sales on (1) Belfast International Airport, (2) Stansted Airport, (3) Manchester Airport, and (4) Newcastle Airport.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Ahead of the end of the transition period, the Government has announced the excise duty treatment of goods purchased by individuals for personal use and carried in their luggage arriving from or going overseas (passengers). The following rules will apply from 1 January 2021:- Passengers travelling from Great Britain to any destination outside the United Kingdom (UK) will be able to purchase duty-free excise goods once they have passed security controls at ports, airports, and international rail stations.- Personal allowances will apply to passengers entering Great Britain from a destination outside of the UK, with alcohol allowances significantly increased. The Government published a consultation which ran from 11 March to 20 May. During this time the Government held a number of virtual meetings with stakeholders to hear their views and received 73 responses to the consultation. The Government is also continuing to meet and discuss with stakeholders following the announcement of these policies. The detailed rationale for these changes are included in the written ministerial statement and summary of responses to the recent consultation: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-09-11/hcws448 and https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-consultation-on-duty-free-and-tax-free-goods-carried-by-passengers. A technical note has also been issued to stakeholders to expand on this document and to respond to issues raised by stakeholders. On 25 November the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out their assessment of the fiscal impact of the withdrawal of the tax-free airside sales. The OBR estimate that the withdrawal will raise approximately £170 million per year for the Exchequer, after behavioural responses are taken into account and passenger numbers recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The Government recognises the challenges the aviation sector is facing as it recovers from the impacts of Covid-19 and has supported the sector throughout the pandemic, and continues to do so, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees.

Duty Free Allowances: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that airports in Northern Ireland are treated equivalently to airports in Great Britain in relation to duty-free tax rules for travellers to the EU from 1 January 2020.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: While the EU will also be offering duty-free sales of excise goods for travel to Great Britain, passengers travelling from the EU, including Ireland, will have to pay excise duty on goods they bring into the UK, subject to certain personal allowances. This means passengers will need to go through customs processes and declare goods they are carrying in their luggage where duty is due. By contrast, the Government has committed to Northern Ireland continuing to have unfettered access to the rest of the UK, including passengers from Northern Ireland being able to carry unlimited amounts of personal goods into Great Britain without having to declare them. Offering duty-free sales without charging excise duty on entry to Great Britain would compromise the UK internal market by allowing unlimited duty-free goods to enter the UK, undercutting domestic retailers and eroding the tax base. However, the alternative would be to charge tax and duty on these goods to put Northern Ireland in the same position as Ireland. In practice, this would mean treating goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain as though there were an international border for passengers. This goes against the Government’s clear policy that Northern Ireland is, and will remain, an integral part of the UK, including for excise purposes. HMRC has published guidance providing further information relating to the VAT and excise treatment of goods under the Northern Ireland Protocol, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accounting-for-vat-on-goods-moving-between-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-from-1-january-2021 and here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moving-excise-goods-as-freight-under-the-northern-ireland-protocol-from-1-january-2021/moving-excise-goods-as-freight-under-the-northern-ireland-protocol-from-1-january-2021#excise-movements-from-great-britain-to-northern-ireland-via-the-eu.

Duty Free Allowances

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on job losses of changes to the duty-free regime for travellers from outside the EU.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Ahead of the end of the transition period, the Government has announced the excise duty treatment of goods purchased by individuals for personal use and carried in their luggage arriving from or going overseas (passengers). The following rules will apply from 1 January 2021:- Passengers travelling from Great Britain to any destination outside the United Kingdom (UK) will be able to purchase duty-free excise goods once they have passed security controls at ports, airports, and international rail stations.- Personal allowances will apply to passengers entering Great Britain from a destination outside of the UK, with alcohol allowances significantly increased. The Government published a consultation which ran from 11 March to 20 May. During this time the Government held a number of virtual meetings with stakeholders to hear their views and received 73 responses to the consultation. The Government is also continuing to meet and discuss with stakeholders following the announcement of these policies. The detailed rationale for these changes are included in the written ministerial statement and summary of responses to the recent consultation: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-09-11/hcws448 and https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-consultation-on-duty-free-and-tax-free-goods-carried-by-passengers. A technical note has also been issued to stakeholders to expand on this document and to respond to issues raised by stakeholders. On 25 November the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out their assessment of the fiscal impact of the withdrawal of the tax-free airside sales. The OBR estimate that the withdrawal will raise approximately £170 million per year for the Exchequer, after behavioural responses are taken into account and passenger numbers recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The Government recognises the challenges the aviation sector is facing as it recovers from the impacts of Covid-19 and has supported the sector throughout the pandemic, and continues to do so, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees.

Construction: Finance

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Government Construction Strategy 2016–20, published in March 2016, whether they are on course to achieve the forecasted £1.7 billion efficiency saving predicted to be promoted through best practice in construction procurement and delivery; and how any such savings have been so far achieved.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government has achieved the efficiency saving set out in the Government Construction Strategy 2016-20 and at the end of March 2020 had recorded over £1.7 billion savings. This has been enabled by: improving government’s capability as a construction client; developing digital capability in design and construction; improving transparency for industry by publishing the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline; and developing new models and approaches to procurement. It has led to efficiency savings being made through volume and margin reductions, rate discounts, de-scoping of projects and departmental reforms. The Government has also recently published its Construction Playbook which aims to further improve how construction projects are assessed, procured and delivered.

Financial Services: UK Relations with EU

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EUabout equivalence recognition for UK-based financial services companies after 31 December.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: On 9 November, the Government announced as many equivalence decisions for EEA Member States as it could in favour of openness, and where it made sense to do so, in the absence of clarity from the EU. These decisions were made to provide clarity and stability to industry. The granting of these equivalence decisions provides a broad range of benefits in terms of having open markets that are well regulated, facilitating firms’ ability to pool and manage risks effectively, and supporting UK and EEA clients’ access to financial services and market liquidity. Equivalence assessments are an autonomous process, managed separately from trade negotiations. This applies in the case of the EU, and where the EU choose to grant the UK equivalence, this will be done in accordance with their own decision-making process. However, the Government has made sure that the EU has the information it requires to make a positive decision for the UK for all equivalence regimes, including decisions for which the EU have announced they are not currently assessing the UK. The Government has not received any further questions from the EU since returning all questionnaires to the EU in early July. The Government is not ruling out further equivalence decisions for the EEA Member States in the future as it continues to believe that comprehensive mutual findings of equivalence between the UK and the EEA are in the best interests of both parties and we remain open and committed to continuing dialogue with the EU about their intentions in this respect. The recognition of individual firms for the purposes of equivalence is a matter for the UK and EU financial services regulators. These regulators continue to be obliged to discharge their responsibilities for financial stability, consumer and investor protection and financial market operation. The regulators continue to cooperate on those issues and engage with each other as firms consider their planning for the end of the transition period and what will follow.